John Deere previewed the brand-new X9 combine designed for farmers facing tough harvesting conditions this week at the Agritechnica 2019 event. A matching draper head was also on display. The X9 is larger than the S790, currently the largest combine Deere sells, and it was awarded a Silver Medal by the Agritechnica medal committee for its performance and efficiency.

This combine was created for large farmers who demand efficiency. Carsten Heftrig, marketing manager for Deere, explains that the X9 can harvest more 100 tons of small grains or wheat per hour with losses under 1%.

The company claims the X9 has the widest body in the industry and was designed to offer improved crop flow, larger threshing and separation areas, and a larger cleaning shoe.

TECHNICAL DETAILS

The pivot point of the inclined feederhouse chain and feed drums are identical so that the crop feed angle is always identical to the rotors.

The X9 design also features a new, slim, belt-based drive concept.

Engineers focused on the dual-axial rotor threshing and separating ability of this combine with maximum throughput and performance value in mind.

Deere knew it was important to minimize the air counter pressure and maximize the air separation during the cleaning part of harvest to ensure good airflow and residue distribution.

The chopper was also optimized by replacing the common angled blades with “dented” blades that have a golf ball airflow effect. This feature maximizes the air volume flow and reduces the amount of power required.

All these features are packed into a harvester with a transport width under 11.5 feet, both on wheels and tracks.

Farmers will notice this combine has a new look compared with previous combine models. Comfort, convenience, and lighting improvements are also part of the design, says Deere.

Controls and user interfaces will be similar to those used in the John Deere S700 combine so farmers can easily move between machines.

HEADER

The new draper header unveiled with the X9 was especially designed to handle small grains and has a number of grain-saving technologies.

First, rather than a traditional smooth belt, this belt has a special profile that catches the grain in small pockets, so it doesn’t roll off the header. The Agritechnica display model features a belt that’s wider than previous Deere combines.

Also, a hinged frame and wing design on the highlighted model offers more than 3 feet of flex with each wing to keep the header close to the ground over uneven terrain.

This new header will also be compatible with S-series combines.